“The fact of music is that it doesn’t really belong to anyone or any group of people. Music is music. If you can play it, it belongs to you” – W. Marsalis – [Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton – Play the Blues Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York (2011)]
There is nothing in this world more inclusive than music, and jazz music, above all, is probably the most inclusive of all genres.
Despite the common belief that jazz music, second only to classical music, and close to progressive music, is a “difficult” genre to understand and to get along with, nevertheless it has brought together generations of artists from one side, and listeners of all ages to the other.
It is not a surprise that Wynton Marsalis strongly believes in the “inclusive power” of jazz, and this is the first thing he points out when he addresses the audience on the first of a two night residency at the Philarmonie here in Luxembourg.
The second, important element of his intro speech is the “journey”. Jazz music is a journey because jazz musicians, more than others, have travelled the whole world spreading out the beauty of this music and making it universally acclaimed.
In his official biography, Wynton Marsalis is defined as “a world-renowned trumpeter, bandleader, and composer”, but what I like the most is “leading advocate of American culture”.
We could stop here. But let me give you just a couple of additional facts on his achievements.
In 1983, he was the first musician to win Grammys in both jazz and classical music in the same year for Trumpet Concerto: Haydn, Hammel and Mozart and Think of One, a milestone in his career as a recording artist.
In 1997, he was the first artist in the history to win the Pulitzer Prize for Jazz and that was a moment that many thought would never happen, especially after the great denial of a special citation given to Duke Ellington in 1965.
Marsalis won the Pulitzer Prize for his sprawling, slave-themed jazz oratorio Blood in the Fields which through the story of two slaves, Jesse and Leona, “carries us along on their difficult journey to freedom, a journey in which they, and by implication all of us, must move beyond a preoccupation with personal power and learn that true freedom is, and must be, shared”.
It is worth noting that, in the years following Marsalis’ award, the Pulitzer Prize for Music has been awarded posthumously to Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
Wynton Marsalis strongly believes in the power of teaching. In fact, he is also the founder of the Jazz Academy, an institution which offers jazz education programs to advance the appreciation, understanding, and performance of jazz, and whose mission is “to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy”.
“We believe jazz is a metaphor for Democracy. Because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression. Because jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others. Because jazz is rooted in the blues, it inspires us to face adversity with persistent optimism”.
Between 2011 and 2014 he was also involved from Harvard University in a series of 6 lectures: Hidden in Plain View: Meanings in American Music, covering a range of topics including jazz, what it means to be American, and the importance of cultural literacy and the arts in the liberal arts education.
Marsalis arrives at the Philarmonie to open his 2023 European tour with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, made up of 15 of the finest soloists, ensemble players, and arrangers in jazz music today.
For the first night, as part of the Philarmonie series of concerts Jazz & beyond, the artist and his orchestra lead us through a journey in the history of jazz music, playing standards of Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington among others.
The concert is a real journey through this music genre, and it is a real pleasure listening to these super talented musicians playing together.
The second night is part of Adventure+ and it is something completely different from the first. It is the Philharmonic Luxembourg which takes the stage for the first part of the night playing Modeste Moussorgski: Tableaux d’une exposition (Pictures at an Exhibition) (arr. Maurice Ravel). Then, for the second part, the real adventure begins with the Philharmonic Luxembourg, together with Cristian Măcelaru, its conductor, joined on stage by Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to perform The Jungle (Symphony No. 4), a work inspired by New York City and notably the composer’s greatest work to date.
After these two amazing nights, it is easy to say that Wynton Marsalis is really “all that jazz”.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis trumpet, direction
Ryan Kisor, Kenny Rampton, Marcus Printup trumpet
Sam Chess trombone
Chris Crenshaw trombone (The Golkin Family Chair)
Elliot Mason trombone
Sherman Irby, Alexa Tarantino alto and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet
Chris Lewis tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
Abdias Armenteros alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet
Paul Nedzela baritone and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
Dan Nimmer piano (The Zou Family Chair)
Carlos Henriquez double bass (The Mandel Family Chair in honor of Kathleen B. Mandel)
Obed Calvaire drums
Wynton Marsalis: The Jungle
Luxembourg Philharmonic
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Cristian Măcelaru direction
Modeste Moussorgski: Tableaux d’une exposition (Pictures at an Exhibition) (arr. Maurice Ravel)
Wynton Marsalis: The Jungle. Symphonie N° 4
Music suprise performed by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
